IP Library Granted Patent US 11,930,440
Granted Patent B2
US 11,930,440 · App. 17/069,833 · Granted Mar 12, 2024

Communication control apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium storing communication control program, and communication control system for preventing terminal from connecting to failed wireless communication line

Inventor: Ayumi Kobayashi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
H04W40/34H04W40/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,930,440
App. No.
17/069,833
Granted
Mar 12, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A communication control apparatus includes a processor configured to acquire communication information representing connection information of a first network slice, which is assigned as a connection destination of a terminal used by a user, among wireless communication lines respectively provided by communications carriers, from a control apparatus that controls the first network slice; and perform control to switch a network slice such that a second network slice different from the first network slice is assigned to the terminal, in a case where a deterioration of a communication quality of the first network slice is notified by using the communication information.

Claims (38)

1. A communication control apparatus comprising a processor configured to

acquire communication information representing connection information of a first network slice, which is assigned as a connection destination of a terminal used by a user, among wireless communication lines respectively provided by communications carriers, from a control apparatus that controls the first network slice; and

perform control to switch a network slice to assign a second network slice different from the first network slice to the terminal, in a case where a deterioration of a communication quality of the first network slice is notified by using the communication information, wherein

the processor is configured to refer to management information that manages information on each network slice assigned to the terminal, and switches the network slice assigned to the terminal in cooperation with the subscription manager, the network slice assigned to the terminal becomes a priority network slice to be preferentially assigned to the terminal, in a case where the priority network slice is set in the management information, and a failure in communication with the terminal having occurred in the priority network slice is not notified.

2. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to control the switching of the network slice assigned to the terminal by switching a profile of the terminal in cooperation with a subscription manager that manages a profile of an Embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) assigned to the terminal.

3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to, in a case where the priority network slice for the terminal is not set in the management information, maintain the current network slice assignment to the terminal, even in a case where notification of restoration of communication quality of the first network slice is provided by using the communication information.

4. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the processor is configured to, in a case where notification of restoration of communication quality of the first network slice is provided by using the communication information, switch the profile of the terminal in cooperation with the subscription manager such that the first network slice is assigned again to the terminal.

5. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the processor is configured to designate a communication form of an instruction message for instructing the switching of the profile of the terminal such that the terminal is notified of the instruction message with priority over other messages.

6. The communication control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the processor is configured to designate a communication form of an instruction message for instructing the switching of the profile of the terminal such that the terminal is notified of the instruction message with priority over other messages.

7. The communication control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the processor is configured to designate a communication form of an instruction message for instructing the switching of the profile of the terminal such that the terminal is notified of the instruction message with priority over other messages.

8. The communication control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the processor is configured to designate a short message service or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) as a communication form of the instruction message.

9. The communication control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the processor is configured to designate a short message service or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) as a communication form of the instruction message.

10. The communication control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the processor is configured to designate a short message service or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) as a communication form of the instruction message.

11. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to control switching of network slices to be assigned to the terminal such that the first network slice and the second network slice are network slices of different communications carriers.

12. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the processor is configured to control switching of network slices to be assigned to the terminal such that the first network slice and the second network slice are network slices of different communications carriers.

13. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processor is configured to control switching of network slices to be assigned to the terminal such that the first network slice and the second network slice are network slices of the same communications carrier.

14. The communication control apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the processor is configured to designate a network slice to which the terminal is connected, by using identification information for identifying each network slice assigned to each communications carrier.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a communication control program causing

a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

acquiring communication information representing connection information of a first network slice, which is assigned as a connection destination of a terminal used by a user, among wireless communication lines respectively provided by communications carriers, from a control apparatus that controls the first network slice; and

performing control to switch a network slice to assign a second network slice different from the first network slice to the terminal, in a case where a deterioration of a communication quality of the first network slice is notified by using the communication information, wherein

the computer is configured to refer to management information that manages information on each network slice assigned to the terminal, and switches the network slice assigned to the terminal in cooperation with the subscription manager, the network slice assigned to the terminal becomes a priority network slice to be preferentially assigned to the terminal, in a case where the priority network slice is set in the management information, and a failure in communication with the terminal having occurred in the priority network slice is not notified.

16. A communication control system comprising a processor that is configured to:

acquire communication information representing connection information of a first network slice, which is assigned as a connection destination of a terminal used by a user, among wireless communication lines respectively provided by communications carriers, from a control apparatus that controls the first network slice, and perform control to switch a network slice to assign a second network slice different from the first network slice to the terminal, in a case where a deterioration of a communication quality of the first network slice is notified by using the communication information, wherein the processor is configured to refer to management information that manages information on each network slice assigned to the terminal, and switches the network slice assigned to the terminal in cooperation with the subscription manager, the network slice assigned to the terminal becomes a priority network slice to be preferentially assigned to the terminal, in a case where the priority network slice is set in the management information, and a failure in communication with the terminal having occurred in the priority network slice is not notified; and

perform switching of a profile of the terminal which is instructed as a switching target in an instruction message for instructing the switching of the network slice, under control performed by a subscription manager that receives the instruction message, through a wide area line in which communication is controlled based on a policy defined by software.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 14, 2021
From: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
To: FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP.
Reel/Frame 056237/0058 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2020
From: KOBAYASHI, AYUMI
To: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054087/0755 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-097215 · Jun 3, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
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